Deputy Prime Minister and Digital Affairs Minister Krzysztof Gawkowski made the appeal outside the presidential palace in Warsaw on Thursday, citing a government report on the risks facing young internet users.
The report, titled "Black Book of Young Victims of Digital Platforms in Poland," found that 45.5 percent of teenagers aged 14 to 18 surveyed had experienced sexually aggressive behavior online in the past year.
It also found that 39 percent of Polish teenagers had experienced cyberbullying, while more than 10 percent had been threatened with the disclosure of intimate material.
Over 70 percent of victims concealed their most distressing experience from adults.
"Children cannot wait for adults to settle their political disputes," Gawkowski wrote in an appeal addressed directly to Nawrocki.
The report also raised concerns about the failure of technology companies to respond to complaints.
According to monitoring by Poland's Research and Academic Computer Network (NASK), a national cybersecurity research institute, digital platforms rejected or failed to act on 76 percent of reported violations in the first half of 2026.
The ministry warned that artificial intelligence tools could be used to create sexually explicit fake images of children from ordinary photographs.
Although 70 percent of teenagers use artificial intelligence, 63 percent are unfamiliar with the term "deepfake," which describes digitally manipulated images, video or audio, designed to mislead viewers.
The legislation awaiting Nawrocki's signature would introduce national enforcement mechanisms for the European Union's Digital Services Act (DSA), which requires online platforms to address illegal content and protect users, particularly children.
It would allow authorities to act rapidly against illegal material involving children, while generally requiring court authorization before other content can be blocked.
Deputy Digital Affairs Minister Dariusz Standerski rejected concerns that the law could enable censorship, saying its provisions target conduct already prohibited under Poland's Criminal Code.
Poland has faced European Commission proceedings over its failure to establish the national enforcement arrangements required under the DSA, which became fully applicable across the EU in February 2024.
Nawrocki has until Friday to sign the legislation, veto it or refer it to the Constitutional Tribunal for review.
(rt/gs)
Source: IAR/PAP